purposeful

As homeschooling moms, our sanity is vital and often at-risk, isn’t it? Here are five strategies I have for keeping my mental and emotional buffer padded. Homeschooling Lists in Abundance During this month of homeschool lists we’re starting with the essentials, and even more essential than the book lists (which, I know, are quite important), is mom’s sanity. If mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy. And if the kids aren’t happy, they probably aren’t learning very well. We can do … Read More

Years ago, when I had only quite small children and I had immersed myself in books on educational theory, I latched onto an oft-quoted bit of wisdom from Charlotte Mason: The mother who takes pains to endow her children with good habits secures for herself smooth and easy days. She’s right, of course, but also wrong. I copied this quote out I don’t know how many times. I returned to it again and again, always hopeful – maybe this time … Read More

Cleaning house is a drag. And the more you live in your house, the more you have to clean. And who lives in their house more than a homeschooling family? In my reading of productivity materials, there is a lot said for working in your passion, for delegating what is not one of your “core competencies.” That boils down to: “No one who is successful cleans their own house.” After all, anyone can do it, right? So clearly you are … Read More

This week for Desiring the Kingdom, we’re discussing the chapter 5 sections “Law,” “Confession & Pardon,” and “Baptism.” I’m sorry I’m so late in getting this out. It is too bad, too, because this was a great section! I wish I could delve into it a bit deeper, but that just isn’t going to work out right now. Chapter 5 might just make the slog through the middle worth it. :) Summary: The elements of worship teach us of the … Read More

Although the primary point of this final section of chapter 1 was a critique and expanding of the concept of worldview, replacing it with the term social imaginaries, it was these few lines further developing how what we do, what we know, and what we love are all tied up together and interdependent. An ancient wisdom in the Christian tradition […] might be formulated as an axiom: “desire forms knowledge.” What we do (practices) is intimately linked to what we … Read More

This week we’re discussing the middle of chapter 1, pages 46-63, of Desiring the Kingdom by James K.A. Smith. Summary: Lots of Augustine After the first section, which we read last week, covering incomplete anthropology, now Smith begins developing his idea of a more complete, holistic anthropology, one where man is not only a thinking or believing thing, but also a loving thing. And, that love or care is not general or abstract, but always intentional. Our love and care … Read More

In this chapter Smith begins to develop a more complete anthropology, one that takes into account our imaginations, our hearts, our gut, our bodies, as well as our minds. Whether we are aware of it or not, we all have a telos – an end or purpose we are striving for – and, in fact, it is almost always unconscious. In fact, our true telos, our true love, we are aiming for, can even be contrary to what we think … Read More

Some mornings I do an exercise video first thing in the morning, when I both want to feel on top of it and feel fat. I was tapping my foot impatiently through the lady’s disclaimer about consulting my physician and beginning slowly and carefully. But, of course she has a point. If I started with the “advanced” girl in the back, lifting weights and adding extra actions when I can barely maintain my balance without weights, I would injure myself. … Read More

Cum dignitate otium, or Rest The Education is for Life Series This principle was another where I had to do my own searching for an applicable Latin motto. I could not leave out the concept of Leisure, the Basis of Culture, or Rest, or scholé. However, I had to laugh at myself, I started with a Google search of “Schole Latin motto.” Scholé, is, of course, Greek, and so nothing helpful came up. So, I discovered that otium was the … Read More

You are a runner, running the race of life. It is not a competitive race, but it is a race. Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, … Read More

Hi! I’m Mystie. At Simply Convivial I write about managing a full life as a mom: not only on productivity hacks, organization tools, and homeschool curriculum, but also on cheerful attitudes and necessary habits. Together, let’s get a handle on our roles, responsibilities, and mindsets so we can flourish where we are called to serve.